Combination handle and support leg for ironer cabinets



c. 'M. HALL oct. zo, 1953 COMBINATION HANDLE AND SUPPORT LEG FOR IRONER CABINETS FledvAug. 1, 1951 Patented Oct. 20, 1953 COMBINATION HANDLE `AND SUPPORT'LEG FOR IRONER CABINETS vCharles Hall, Trumbull, '.Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation `of `New York Application August 1, 1951, Serial No. 239,732

(Cl. S12-241) 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to covers for ironer cabinets and'more specically to combination handles and supporting legs therefor.

Many ironer tables are equipped with box covers for enclosing the ironer When not in use. These covers are usually pivotally mounted on the tables so that they can be readily and easily moved out of the Way at the beginning of an ironingoperation, and each provided With one or more legs so that it can be supported von the floor at a height convenient for use by the operator as an auxiliary table surface. Such legs must belatched in their supporting `positions and means should be provided for readily releasing them so `that they can be folded against theii` respective covers when the latter vare closed on the ironer table. My invention isconcerned with latching and release `means for such supporting members, and with means for makin-g them more readily availablefor use as cover handles.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved support leg construction for the cover for an ironer table.

Another object of my invention is Ato provide an improved latch and release means for the support leg.

A further object of'my invention is to provide means by which the -support leg can lbe readily moved into position for use as a handle for -removing the cover fromthe ironer table.

In carrying out my invention, I afx t the front Wall of an ironer cover a decorative trim member which serves as a base portion for my combination handle and support leg structure. This structure further includes a yhar or-rod which is pivotally mounted 4intermediate its ends on a pintle supported in the trim or basemember. Resilient means are employed to Yform a latch cooperating with the short end of the bar to lock it in its open or extended position in which it serves as a support leg. Manually operable means, `preferably inthe form of a pushbutton, are provided for releasing the latch to permit return of the bar to its closed position in which it is foldedfagainst the Yhase. The latch forming resilient means may be arrangedto bias the bar toward this closed positionin Which'case the pushbutton can be usedto remove'the bias` to permitthe bar to be returned'more readilyto'v its extended position. Moreover, the 1 pus-hbutton can beso constructedand'positioned thatit will engagea portionof the short end ofthebar andpinadditionto relieving thespring'bias, will movethe bar toward its open'positionfso tha-tit can-be'readilygrasped, pulled to its fully open position, and used as a `handle to remove the cover from the ironer table.

My .invention will be better understood from the Vfollowing description taken in Yconnection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ironer'y table embodying vmy invention, With its cover in the closed position; Fig. 2 is a .perspective view of the ironer table showing the cover in its vfinal open position, with the support leg extended; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary frontview of the cover for the 4ironer table, showing the combination handle and supportleg with the bar in its closed position; Fig. 4 is .a section taken along the lines 4-.4 .of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section taken -along the lines 5=5 `of Fig. v3 but showing the bar, not in section, in full lines in its fully opened or extended .position and inrdotted lines in its partly open position.

Referring to the Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown an ironer table I having a top 2 provided with downwardly extending flangess at the side and end. In thecorners of the `tabletop are secured supporting legs 4. This table vprovides-a support for an ironer which may be of the construction `shown in the copending application of Robert E. Sheahan, Serial No. @108,837 iiledV August 5*, 1949, and assigned -to the General Electric Company, assignee of `the `present application. As shown in Fig. 2, this ironercomprises the usual heated shoe 5 whichmayhe moved into and'out of register with a padded buck'g'by suitable automatic mechanism such as Athe hydraulic motor system shown in the aforementioned Sheahan application. During the periods when theironer is not in use, it is enclosed by abox cover 'l having a front'wall 8, end walls 9,*atop`wall I- providing a table top, and arear Wall ll.

In the rear left hand corner o-f the table top 2 are provided hinging means, not shown, for -securementof thefcover tothe table i and by which the cover 'l may be swung first to a vertical position alongside thetable and then to the horizontal position of Fi-g. 2. The hinging-means may be of any suitableknown construction such as any one of 'the three types shown in the patent to George'lK/.'Wardvv'ell,V Jr., 2,198,467, for 4a Table for Ironers;andthe-;Lil;e, assigned tothe General Electric Company,` assignee of the present application. I

When the cover 1 is supported in the position shown in Fig. 2, the iront cover 8 andthe rear cover Il, provide a shelf and a Work surface respectively onwhich the freshly ironedclothes or other articles may conveniently be placed. In order tc support the cover at the desired height, it is common practice to provide a support leg that is pivotally mounted relative to the front cover panel so that it can be opened to an extended position when needed as a leg and folded to a closed position adjacent the cover when not in use. It is desirable that it be so constructed that it can be used as a handle by which the cover can be moved from its closed to its nal open position and from its open position back to its closed position. Moreover, the rather plain front portion of the ironer table and cover can be advantageously broken by the provision of an attractive trim member on the cover, thereby making the appearance more pleasing.

In designing a handle and leg structure incorporating all of these desirable features, I have combined the leg and handle function in a single bar I 2 and have provided a decorative trim member I3 secured to the cover Wall 3 and serving as the base on which the bar I2 is mounted. Pivotally mounted in the trim member or base I3 is a pivot pin or pintle I d passing through the bar I2 intermediate its ends but near the right hand end thereof, as viewed in Fig. 3. The bar I2 lits securely on the pintle I but the bar and pintle can be pivotally moved about the pintle mounting in the base I3 from a folded or closed position adjacent the cover and trim member` to an open or extended position as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The base I3 may be secured to the wall 8 by a plurality of screws I5. In the wall 8 is provided a slotted opening I5 in the vicinity of the pintle Id, in alignment with an equivalent opening in the base member, as seen in Fig. 5, and of sunlcient size to permit the short end of the rod I2, extending to the right of the pintle as seen in Fig. 4, to pass through it upon movement of the bar to its extended position.

In order to insure that the bar I2 will remain in its extended position when used as a support leg, I provide latch means as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. On the opposite side of the Wall 3 from the base I3, I affix to the base, by means of several of the screws I5, a leaf spring Il. From a xed end I8, the spring Il extends adjacent the wall 8 and is provided with a reverse z -shaped latch portion having walls I Il, 2) and 2|. The reverse Z-shaped latch portion is positioned directly adjacent the opening I6. The short end of the bar I2 extending to the right of the pintle I Il is provided with a notched upper corner 22 as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5. When the bar I2 is manually lifted to its open or extended position, the notched corner ts snugly in the latch portion of the spring I'I with the walls of the notched corner in contiguous relation with the walls It?, 20 and 2|. In this manner, as Well as by abutment of the bar end against a portion of the base I 3, the bar I2 is held against movement beyond its open position or toward its folded position. Of course, if an unusually large force were applied against the bar I2, the vertical wall portion of the notch 22, as seen in Fig. 5, would cam the spring Il out of position and release the latch. Consequently, this construction provides a latch which is eiective to lock the rod or bar I2 into position securely enough to support the cover 1 under most conditions but which will release to prevent damage to the cabinet cover if the bar is struck with an unusually large force.

In order to quickly and easily release the latch to permit movement of the bar from its open to its closed position, I provide means for moving the latch portion of the spring I'I out of engagement with the notched end 22 of the bar. The spring I'I is provided with an extended portion 23 at its free end. A pin 24 is journaled in the base I3 for slidable movement in a direction parallel to the bar when the latter is in its open position. It is provided with a shoulder 25 at its lower end as seen in Fig. 5, which limits its axial movement in the upward direction. On its opposite end is secured a pushbutton member 2S by which it can be pushed downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 5, or inwardly as viewed in Figs. l and 3. In order to return the pushbutton member 25 to its operating position after each operation, I have provided a coil spring 2l, one end of which bears against the base I3 and the other end of which bears against the underside of the pushbutton. The pin 24 passes through the base and through the wall opening to engage the extension 23 of the leaf spring. Consequently, when the pushbutton member 26 is depressed, the pin 2d deilects the extended member 23, thereby moving the latch portion of the spring I l out of engagement with the notched end 22 of the bar. While continuing to depress the button 25, the operator need only lightly press the bar I2 to move it from its open to its closed position.

Another advantageous feature of my handle and leg construction is the provision of means biasing the bar toward its closed position so that it will remain securely closed until needed for use as a handle or support. A simple means of doing this is shown in Fig. 4 in which the leaf spring Il is provided with an inverted V-shaped portion 2B extending through the opening I in the cover wall, where it bears against a rounded lower edge 29 as seen in Fig. 4, of the short end of the bar I2. The long end of the bar I2 is thereby biased toward its closed position by the force of the spring I1, though this bias can be easily overcome if the operator grasps the bar and pulls it. The biasing force of spring Il is released if the operator first depresses the button 26, since the pin 24 then moves the spring away from the bar. Release of the bias can be accompanied with partial opening of the bar. To accomplish this, I form on the pushbutton 25 a cam portion 39 engageable with a shoulder oi the notched end 22 of the bar, as shown in Fig. 4. In the construction as shown when the button 26 is depressed, it simultaneously moves the spring I1 to relieve the biasing force and depresses the short end of the bar. Since the distance between the notched end 22 from the bar and the pintle I4 is very small compared to the distance from the pintle to the opposite end oi' the bar, the small movement imparted by the button 26 causes a greatly magnied movement of the long end of the bar so that it will assume approximately the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. It will then be very convenient for the operator to grasp the bar and move it to its fully extended position where it can be used either as a handle or a support leg as previously explained. In case an operator does not desire to perform this function in two steps, I have provided a recess portion SI in the bar I2 to serve as a nger grip so that it will be a simple matter to pull the bar open, overcoming the bias of the spring IT, without using the pushbutton.

'I'he cam portion 30 of the button 26 additionally may serve as an auxiliary stop to prevent opening the bar I2 beyond its vertical position relative to the base, as seen in Fig. 5. The latch portion of the spring I1 cooperates with the notched end 22 of the bar to prevent any substantial movement beyond the vertical position but construction of the cam 30 so as to provide an additional `stop is obviously advantageous. Also, as previously explained, the slotted opening I6 in the wall 8 permits the short end of the bar to extend through the equivalent base opening whereupon it abuts a portion of the base i3 and is thereby prevented from movement beyond its vertical position.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made; and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combination handle and support leg for a pivotally mounted ironer cover, comprising: a base member secured to said cover, a bar pivotally mounted in said base member, a leaf spring secured to said base member and shape to engage one end of said bar eccentrically of its pivotal axis with a force directed to bias said bar into closed position, and manually operable means engaging with said leaf spring and said bar end eccentrically of its pivotal axis and movable in a direction opposed to the direction of said leaf spring force tomove said bar toward its open position.

2. A combination handle and support leg for a .i

pivotally mounted ironer cover or the like comprising a base member secured to said cover, a. bar pivotally mounted in said base member intermediate its ends, said bar having a relatively short portion on one side of its pivotal axis and a relatively long portion on the opposite side of said axis, a leaf spring xed at one end to said base member with its opposite end movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to said pivotal axis and biased toward and into engagement with the short portion of said bar, a shouldered portion adjacent the end of said spring engageable with the end of the short portion of said bar to maintain the long portion thereof in an extended position perpendicular to said cover, a projection on said spring engageable with the short portion of said bar as it is moved toward a position parallel to said cover thereby to bias said bar into a retracted position parallel to said cover, and push-button means having a spring actuator and a bar actuator movable conjointly, said spring actuator forcing the movable end of said spring away from said bar while said bar actuator engages the short portion of said bar to move the bar twoard said extended position.

v CHARLES M. HALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 437,151 Gore Sept. 23, 1890 1,203,783 Reischmann Nov. 7, 1916 1,297,059 Barnes Mar. 1l, 1919 1,307,960 Curtis June 24, 1919 2,198,467 Wardwell, Jr Apr. 23, 1940 2,262,154 Anderson Nov. 11, 1941 

